Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-28

vAS0FoNV W. - DOOA4 0uo"A III
from our midst he whose escutcheon wal
brightest with the radiance Of . nobl
life.
Resolved, That We cherish with gratitud
the remembrance OF his fidelity and zeal il
the temperance cause and will endeavor I.
emulate the example he set before us.
Resoivsd. That, recognising the courag
land integrity OF our Reverend brother il
every walk of life, aud the use he made O
the talents entrusted to his keeping. we ss
enininR above the tears shed at his gray
the glory OF the noble monument builde,
by himself and which will stand to hi
honor when those OF marble shall b
crumbled to dust-the record OF an IN
blemishsd life bespangled with stars o
noble acts.
Resolved. That We tender to the bereave
and %sorrowing widow and children of GU
deceased brother the sincere coincidence O
Butte City Lodge No. IA, I. o. G. T., il
their great grief at the death of the devotet
husband and affectionate father.
kesoIved, That We extend to Sherida,
Lodge No: 4:of Sheridan. u sincere
sympathy in. the loss OF one of their frs
and most faithful workers, devoted friends
and counselors.
Resolved, That q copy OF these resolu
tiona be forwarded to the family OF GU
late Brother Duncan and to Sherida,
Lodge No. 4, at Sheridan.
REv. y. G. sHIPPEN
was next introduced, and spoke at som,
length OF Mr.. Duncan's early ministerial ID
bors in Montana. Among other things. be
I cited the hardships and fluctuations exper
fenced by the dead pastor in the ministerial
field during the early days OF civilization il
! Montana, and how he bore up under trials
! that would have made many q man fall by
the wayside. Rev. Duncan, he said
preached the first sermon in Virginia City
/ and that the spot selected for the occasion
was on the hillside among the pine treea @
Alder Gulch. Rev. W. e. King next deli
| cred . discourse, which
WAS Al FOLLOWS:
my first acquaintance with Father Dun.
can was in the fall Of 1882. He was then
on the Jefferson Valley circuit. The follow.
ing year he was made presiding elder of the
Virginia City District, and was my presid.
Ing elder. He vas then q hale and
hearty man, but in January. 1884, he
had the misfortune to have his leg broken
by the carelessness OF an intoxicated man.
He also bad an attack of pneumonia, and
for six weeks his life hung in the balance.
He himself despaired OF recovery but q
Kind Providence spared him his family and
the church. At the conference OF 1884 he
received the appointment to the Glendale
and Beaverhead work, where helabored for
two years.. In 1886. he was made presjd-
ing elder Of the Butte District. and at our
last Conference held in this city and in this
-hurch he was appointed a or of the
Montana Valley work, which circuit he was
travelling at the time OF his death, Septem.
Der 16, 1887. away from home, but sur
rounded by friends who o mourn for him.
In many ways Father Duncan was a won
derful man. He was born in Scotland in
June, 1924; worked in the coal mines when
a boy and grew to be a hardy man accus-
toned to dangers and ~deprivations, as he
himself said. and at one time was a great
sinner, but that God had forgiven his
sins. One OF the first du-
ties that presented itself to
him after his conversion was q call to
the ministry. But he could not preach
be could neither read nor write. His wife
taught him reading. writing and arithmetic.
To better his condition he left his own
country and came to America, worked in
fennsylvania and then in Kansas, and
b caught the gold fever and vent to
Colorado; but in the spring of 1864 came
to Montana and preached his first sermon
July OF that year in Virginia City. He
made = small fortune in the placer mines of
Al Ter Gulch. Thus, in every sense of the
word. he was a self-made man. During the
hve years l have known him l have con.
admired and respected Mr.. Dun.
not that he was iaultless, but because
ne was q man OF strong convictions, and
put the same into execution according to
nNs ideas OF right. He cared not whether |
81 va v1th the majority or the minority. |
was independent and persevering. a
'trong friend and q dangerous eneny. His |
strong will and great desire to accomnl,sh |
What he had undertaken often forced him
INTO grounds where the lines of absolute
light became dim, but this vagueness did
lot daunt him, and on he went to accom- |
'hsh his purpose with q reckless
md abandonment that made his rugged
quake with fear. This trait OF char.
icter often got him into difficulty. but
hose who knew him best never doubted
us honesty or piety. He guarded the in.
ereets OF the church with az much vipi.
Rnce as q mother watches her first ba nv
see him now, az on the conferences Aoor h.
prlnes to his feet as though a young man
nd, with uplifted finger, cries, 'Bishop.
'ss to q point OF order, to object to a
Of order. or to correct an
.rroneous statement As a church va
Ill miss him on the conferance
oor; In The pulpit and in private LIE We >
ave lost . tried and true veteran. His
DICE Will never more be raised to warn the
We will never be cheered by his
'nlai presence until the Great Ruler Of the j
inverse gathers all his children around ,
rs shining throne; then We expect to meet &
= liner Duncan by the throne of God ex. ,
ting in the power OF Jesus to save a Door '
slPiess sinner. In our mourning TODAY g
. do Q forget his aged wife and iamily 9
nj eonoren. Our prayer is: o, +.
'ur OF deepest gloom and darkest II
ent. And may they and We rejoice that n
nag been released from earthly labor and A
I, tt Int mt "s snrroa =. though We can F.
ernal gain" % n's : =
hon. J. Z. RICHARDS,
oehah OF tho laity. spoke Of him A
IN oya to the church, and that in hi. =
ath 1t lad lost one Of it's staunch..+ q
lars. N